Waking the Dreamer
by Misery Loves Sarah
Summary: Diehard Challenge: Worst Case Scenario Just something I thought I would try. By the way, it wasn't supposed to be underlined and I have no idea how that happened.


**AN: I don't own Sanctuary blah blah blah. This is my submission for the Diehard Challenge: Worst Case Scenario. This is a departure from my normal style of writing, so I hope you all enjoy it anyway. It's set the night before Ash and Henry leave for the Cabal base in the first season finale.**

A young woman thrashed under heavy covers. Blonde hair tangled as she twisted fighting off a some horrible dream. It was hard to say what caused her to sleep so fitfully. She had plenty of reasons to be uneasy. A virulent virus was soon going to be released into the earth's atmosphere, her family was in constant danger, and her father was there. Her last reason was just proof of how unorthodox her life was. 

Her dream took on a familiar twist and she was in a moment that she had replayed in her own mind many times.

_**Sanctuary**_

'I put you in harm's way with every swing of the pendulum, Ashley, but the truth is I can't bear to see you hurt.'

'What hurt wasn't the news, Mom. It was that it didn't come from you.'

_Liar_

"_It was partly true." her dream self argued and Ashley knew she was dreaming. She didn't feel pain or any disappointment, so it was definitely a dream._

_And Daddy is a pillar of justice_

"_Shut up."_

_Lie to yourself, but you still know the truth_

"_And what's that?" _

_You don't want to be like daddy_

"_I'm not."_

_You don't want to be like mommy either_

"_Now, who's the liar."_

_You don't_

"_How do you figure that."_

_Too different Be yourself_

"_God…my subconscious is a genius."_

_Thank you_

"_And somehow, it doesn't understand sarcasm."_

_You're the one arguing with yourself_

"_I wouldn't be if you would shut the hell up." She really wanted to hit this disembodied voice that was privy to all her thoughts. _

_I would if you would tell the truth_

"_What truth?"_

_The real reason we are mad at mommy_

"_She didn't tell me the truth. That's why I am mad!"_

_Liar_

"_Not this again…you are so frustrating." She threw her arms into the air in exasperation._

_I'm you_

"_Whatever."_

_I know truths that we hide_

"_Fine, I'm mad because he's my father, alright."_

_What else_

"_I'm angry because…she chose him…and because of her I might be like him." She hesitated not wanting to reveal her secret resentment of her mother. She had come up with this thought in Rome and immediately shoved it away where she put every guilty feeling. It went to the place where she blamed her father. It was okay if everything bad was his fault…he was already guilty of so much. What did something small, like her hatred matter._

_It all matters_

"_Oh yeah, why is that?"_

_Cause mommy loves him still_

"_That's a lie."_

_Is not and you know it She has always loved him and he wasn't always bad_

"_What he was, doesn't matter. He's done too many horrible things to be forgiven."_

_He tries to make up for them even though he knows he can't_

"_Oh well then, let's make him the humanitarian of the year."_

_Cynicism is not attractive_

"_Explain then. Why should I let him in."_

_Could be worse._

"_How on earth is that possible. My father is Jack the Ripper."_

_Could be Tesla_

"_You're right. That is worse." And like that, with those simple words a large portion of her anger evaporated. Yeah, her father was a psycho, but at least he wasn't Nikola Tesla. She did not need that weirdo's OCD and obsession with pigeons. At least her father had a cool power, not just vampirism. _

_What kind of power is that anyway Bet he sparkles in the sun_

"_I know. He drinks blood…eww. He isn't even a full vampire. That would be way cooler." Ashley chuckled. "Should I be worried that I am schizophrenic? I mean I am talking to a voice in my head."_

_I am part of you I am your Jiminy Cricket Not schizophrenia_

"_Oh God, when we start making Pinocchio references it's time to wake up."_

_Always let your conscious be your guide_

"_HAHA. Shut up." Ashley said, without an ounce of humor, as she was waking. _

_**Sanctuary**_

A real smile graced Ashley face for the first time in a while. She yawned and stretched and thought about her dream even as she forgot it. It slipped away, but the feeling of peace and resolution she got from it didn't. Something had changed. She couldn't pinpoint it right now, but it was there. 

She got dressed and headed for breakfast, but decided to peek into her mother's office first. There Magnus sat, tired and irritated, always trying to save the world. "Hi, mom."

Helen looked up surprised. It had been a long time since Ashley had sought her out in solitude. "Ashley, good morning darling."

"Morning. Umm…can we talk?"

"Of course." Helen said. Surprised yet again. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Uh, Druitt. I want to say that I am sorry for being angry with you. You didn't deserve all of it. I still think that you should have been honest with me, but I am okay now." Ashley sighed.

"Ashley, you have to understand. Once upon a time, I did love your father very much." Helen explained and Ashley smiled. 

"Mom, I don't think used to love him quite covers it. You probably can't love him in the same way, but the part of him you did love is still in there somewhere. True love never dies." Ashley finished by quoting a t-shirt. 

"Ashley, this subject is more complicated than that…" Helen began.

"No, it isn't. At least not from my perspective. Maybe it's your age."

"Don't be cheeky." Magnus chided with an almost smile in her voice. 

Ashley started walking out of her mother's office. "By the way, if you wanted to renew your little romance…I mean while he is in control of him mental faculties, that wouldn't bother me."

Helen gave an exasperated groan when Ashley was done and gone from the office. That daughter of hers had some awfully strange thought in her head. Still…it was an interesting thought. 

**Addendum to above AN: I don't own Twilight or Pinocchio either. I tried to make this funny and as unserious as possible, because most of my other pieces are too serious. That was some full vampire foreshadowing from Ashley. I mean she becomes one that is so much cooler than Tesla. I know John wasn't in this, but he was there in spirit and it was definitely a Pro-Druitt piece. Please review and let me know if this was as funny as I wanted it to be.**


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